New figures released under freedom-of-information laws have put a number on something our Sexual Abuse team sees the human cost of every day: peer-on-peer sexual abuse in schools is far more common than most people realise, and it appears to be rising.

What the data shows

Victorian state schools recorded 2645 “concerning incidents” of a sexual nature between students over the past three years, from January 2023 to August last year. The number rose in 2024 compared with the year before, and kept climbing through the first eight months of 2025, with 817 incidents recorded in that period alone, more than a third of them in primary schools.

Researchers studying the issue believe these figures likely understate the true scale of the problem, given how reluctant children, and sometimes schools, can be to report this kind of harm.

A case moving through the courts

One of the cases putting a human face on these numbers is that of Courtney Livingston, now 24, who is suing the State of Victoria in the Supreme Court. Ms Livingston alleges she was sexually abused by a classmate while a student at Redan Primary School, near Ballarat, in 2008, when she was six years old and in her first year of school. Her claim alleges the school failed to adequately supervise and protect students at the time.

Ms Livingston has spoken publicly about the toll the experience has taken on her in the years since, and about her school’s response at the time falling well short of what a young child disclosing abuse needed. The trial is set down for next year, and the state government has not yet filed its defence.

Why this keeps happening

Experts point to a mix of factors behind the apparent rise in harmful sexual behaviour between students, including easier access to violent or extreme pornography, the influence of misogynistic online content on young people’s attitudes, and schools struggling to keep pace with how these dynamics play out among students. Research has also found that adolescent boys are statistically the most likely group to be responsible for child sexual abuse in Australia, ahead of adults.

Where liability can sit with the school

Our sexual abuse lawyer Madison Duffy has pointed out that liability for peer-on-peer abuse can shift to the school itself, not just the student responsible, where staff have failed in their duty of care. That can include ignoring warning signs, not having clear safeguarding policies in place, or failing to properly supervise students. It’s a distinction that matters, because it means schools can be held accountable for the environment they create and maintain, not only for stepping in after the fact.

If this raises something for you

If you, or someone you care about, experienced abuse by another student at school, whether recently or many years ago, it’s not too late to ask questions about where you stand. These conversations are always confidential, and we act on a No Win, No Fee basis.

If you need support right now, 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) and Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800) are both available at any time.